Apparatus for casting panels from plurality of brick-like bodies



1, 1965 J. P. woeuus ETAL 3, 9

APPARATUS FOR CASTING PANELS FROM PLURALITY 0F BRICK-LIKE BODIES Filed Sept. 4, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 'KVIII' m 12';

INVENTORS JOHN P. WOGULIS RICHARD K. MALM CLARENCE B. MONK JR.

Aug. 31, 1 J. P. woeuus ETAL 3,

APPARATUS FOR CASTING PANELS FROM PLURALITY OF BRICK-LIKE BODIES Filed Sept. 4, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS FIG?) JOHN P. wocuus RICHARD K. MALM CLARENCE B. MONK JR- 1965 J. P. woeuus ETAL 3,203,069

APPARATUS FOR CASTING PANELS FROM PLURALITY OF BRICK-LIKE BODIES Filed Sept. 4, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 JNVENTORS JOHN P. WOGULIS RICHARD K. MALM CLARENCE B. MONKJR.

J. P. woeuus ETAL 3,203,069

Aug. 31, 1965 APPARATUS FOR CASTING PANELS FROM PLURALITY 0F BRICK-LIKE BODIES 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. 4, 1962 INVENTORS JOHN P. wocuus RICHARD K. MALM CLARENCE B. MONK JR.

United States Patent 3,203,069 APPARATUS FOR CASTING PANELS FROM PLURALITY 0F BRICK-LIKE BODIES John P. Wogulis, St. Charles, Richard K. Malm, Maple Park, and Clarence B. Monk, Jr., Batavia, Ill., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Structural Clay Products Institute, Geneva, 111., a corporation of Delaware Filed Sept. 4, 1962, Ser. No. 221,095 1 Claim. (Cl. 25-1) The present invention is particularly concerned with improvements in the art and technique of casting building panels through use of a plurality of brick units or the like.

The major purpose of the present invention is the creation of a simple and effective apparatus enabling facile casting of structural panels embodying various patterns of brick units in the cast panel.

A related purpose of the invention is the provision of improved apparatus for setting up a predetermined number of brick units of varying texture, color and facial configuration or the like into a predetermined pat tern and then unitarily handling the same, while in the pattern, during the application of a bonding grout to the several units.

A related purpose of the invention is the provision of improved apparatus for holding a plurality of brick units or the like, which units may have slightly varying dimensions, in proper relation before and during the time that the units are unitarily cast with a bonding grout.

Another purpose of the invention is the provision of an improved apparatus for applying a bonding grout to a plurality of brick units or the like so as to enable casting of the same as a composite panel.

Other and further purposes of the invention will become more apparent in the course of the ensuing specification and claim, when taken with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus of the present invention and which is used with the method of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an end view of the apparatus illustrated in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a side view of a portion of the apparatus illustrated in FIGURES l and 2;

FIGURE 4 is a top view of the apparatus illustrated in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged detailed view of certain assembled elements appearing in the apparatus illustrated in FIGURES 1 through 4;

FIGURE 6 is a side view of the elements illustrated in FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a side view of one element illustrated in the subassembly of FIGURES 5 and 6;

FIGURE 8 is a detailed view of a gauge or stop utilized with the subassembly of FIGURES 5, 6 and 7;

FIGURE 9 is a top view of a spacing support for the plural brick units;

FIGURE 10 is a sectional view of the apparatus illustrated in FIGURE 9, taken on the section lines 1010 of FIGURE 9;

FIGURE 11 is a sectional illustration of the apparatus illustrated in FIGURE 9 but taken on the section lines 11--11 of FIGURE 9; and

FIGURE 12 is a perspective view of a portion of a completed panel formed in accordance with the present invention.

Like elements are designated by like characters throughout the specification and drawings.

Referring specifically now to the drawings and in the first instance to FIGURES 1, 2, 3 and 4, the numeral 20 generally designates a supporting base in the form of a 3,203,059 Patented Aug. 31, 1965 table which may be floor supported. Base 20 has a generally plane working surface 21 which is adapted to support a spacing support 22 and a grout pan 23 for movement to and from positions at the opposite sides of the table, as indicated in FIGURE 4, to positions at the central portion of the table. A pickup and gripping assembly is generally designated at 24 and extends longitudinally of the table. The pickup assembly is positioned generally centrally of the table and includes spaced and parallel, longitudinally extending frame members 25 and 26. The pickup assembly 24 is adapted to be raised and lowered from and toward the supporting surface 21 through use of any suitable elevating means. For example, jacks 27 may be interconnected with the ends of the supporting frame members 25 and 26 to cause raising and lowering movement thereof in response to rotation of a motor 28 and a reversible transmission assembly generally shown at 29.

Both the spacing support 22 and the grout support 23 are adapted for movement along transversely extending rails 30 and 31 which are positioned at the ends of the table. The spacing support 22 may include suitable rollers 32 which ride along these rails, while the grout support 23 includes rollers 33 in engagement for these rails and for rolling movement there along to positions at the side of the table and beneath the pickup assembly 24.

Spacing support 22 is in the form of an elongated pan having a generally rectangular shape. The spacing support or receptacle is defined by spaced, parallel and longitudinally extending side walls 34 and 35 and end walls 36 and 37 on which the supporting rollers 32 are journalled. The side walls 34 and 35 support angles 38 and 39 which present inwardly extending supporting surfaces at the base of the side Walls 34 and 35. These supporting flanges or surfaces may be provided with strips of rubber-like material 40 and 41 so that brick units or the like, generally designated at 42, may rest thereon. i The side walls 34 and 35 are so spaced that the inner brick receiving space is actually longer than the length of a standard size brick or block which is intended to be cast with a number of bricks or blocks into a unitary panel. The spacing support may have a length proportioned to the width as illustrated in the drawings or, in other cases, may have shorter lengths or longer lengths in consonance with the length of the panel desired.

A plurality of transversely extending, spacing elements 43 are supported on the side walls 34 and 35. As is seen in the drawings, these elements 43 may be uniformly spaced throughout the length of the receptacle or support, and spaced longitudinally of the casting panel. Each of the spacing elements is in the form of an elongated bar the ends of which are received in slots 44 and 45, which are formed in the upper end portions of the side walls 34 and 35, respectively. These spacers also include depending finger-like surfaces 46 and 47 which extend downwardly into the brick receiving space and toward the bottom of the space, as defined by the side walls and the resilient cushions 40 and 41.

The longitudinal spacing of the elements 43 is in slight excess of the normal width of a brick unit 42 to be cast, as is seen in FIGURE 9. Thus brick units, as designated at 42, may be pushed over against and flush with one side of one spacing element while leaving space between the brick unit and the spacing element on the other side thereof. The spacing elements have resilient projections 48 and 49 mounted thereon on one side thereof. These resilient elements are in the form of spring leafs presenting inclined surfaces 48a to the space above the receptacle. Thus when brick units are positioned in the spaces between the several spacing elements 43, these leaf springs guide the brick units and force them into a position in abutting relation to the confronting side of the adjacent spacing element.

Similar leaf-like springs 49a and 4% may be mounted on the side walls and at locations centrally of the space between the spacing elements so as to guide the brick units 42 into the proper space and center these units, while leaving substantially the same space between each end of the brick unit and the opposed side wall of the spacing table.

When the assembly is thus formed, the user of the assembly may select varying surface patterns of brick units and arrange them in any preselected order by simply dropping the units into the spacing support. When the spacing support is filled with brick units, each unit is properly spaced from the next adjacent unit and centered with respect to the longitudinal center line of the brick units as a whole. Slight variations inlength of brick units are compensated for by the centering of the several brick units through use of the springs 49a and 4917. Similarly, slight variations in the width of the units are compensated for by the fact that each unit is positioned snug against one of spacing elements 43-.

The grout pan or receptacle 23 has a length and width corresponding to the length and width of the panel to be formed and corresponds generally to the size of the spacing support or receptacle 22.

The pickup and gripping assembly includes a plurality of longitudinally spaced pairs of suction elements 50, each of which is similarly formed and generally transversely aligned with the centers of the spaces between the spacing elements 43. The elements 50 may be supported by the frame members 25 and 26 which are spaced from one another something less than the length of the normal brick unit 42. Each pair of suction elements 50 is supported on the frame elements 25 and 26. Each element 50 is substantially identical in construction and includes a rubber-like cup of downwardly concave shape. The cups are mounted on the lower ends of supporting tubes 51 which are threaded on tubes 51a which, in turn, are mounted on the frame members 25 and 26. The tubes 51a extend upwardly through the members 25 and 26 and are connected to a manifold 52 which is supported above the frame members 25 and 26. Lock nuts 51b may be used to fix the tubes 51 at a desired position on the tubes 51a. The manifold 52 leads to any suitable source of suction through a conduit 53 so as to subject the space beneath the cups to a suction force.

The tubes 51a are of relatively rigid material and are connected to the manifold 52 through flexible conduits 54 so as to enable adjustment of the vertical position of the suction elements with relation to the frame members 26. Each of the tubes 51a includes a threaded portion 55 at its lower end and a threaded portion 56 at its upper end. These tubes also include circular recesses 57 and 58 which are located at positions intermediate the ends of the tubes and intermediate the portions 55 and 56. By using stop nuts 59 and '60 threaded onto the upper and lower threaded portions 56 and 55, respectively, and by using a stop element61, the vertical position of the suction elements with respect to the frame members may be readily adjusted. Stopelement 61 includes a recess portion 62 which corresponds to the diameter of the grooved portions 57 and 58 so that this recess 62 may fit around these grooved portions. The stop element 61 also includes a flange 63. By inserting the stop element 61 in the groove 57, as illustrated in FIGURE 5, and by adjusting the stop nut flush against the lower flange of the channel-like frame member 26, the suction elements are fixed in an upper position. By fitting the stop element 61 on the groove 58 and by bringing the stop nut 59 to bear against the upper surface of the frame member 26, the suction elements are adjusted to a lower fixed position.

The tubes 51a may have grooves of thetype illustrated at 57 and 58 formed at any desired point in the length thereof, in consonance with the width of the bricks desired to be cast in panel form. The particular grooves illustrated in FIGURES 5 through 8 inclusive are useful when handling bricks of stepped configuration as is illustrated in FIGURE 12. Through use of the grooves as Well as the threaded portions, the operator, by inserting the positioning stop 61 at the proper place, always insures accurate positioning of the vertical height of the tubes. The lock nuts are used simply to fix the tubes in the position selected through use of a particular groove, as for example, 57 or 58in the drawings.

An eccentric vibrator 64 is carried by the frame members 25 and 26 and may take any one of several known forms. It is advantageous to use a vibrator, the amplitude of which may be adjusted for purposes which will appear hereafter.

The use and operation of the invention are as follows:

The user of the method and apparatus herein may first assemble a pattern of brick units of varying textures, as through use of the spacing support 22. These brick units are then unitarily moved in this arrangement to a location beneath the pickup assembly 24. A body of bonding grout may be poured into the pan 23 while the pickup assembly is elevating the units. The bonding grout preferably has quick setting properties so that the cast panel resulting from the operations described herein may be handled in a relatively short time after casting. Pickup assembly 24 is then lowered so that the resilient cups 50 are brought into surface contact with the upper faces of the brick units. The elevating assembly is then operated to cause elevation of the brick units from the support 22, as appears in FIGURE 2. The spacing support 22 may then be returned to its position at the side of the table as appears in FIGURE 1.

The grout pan 23 with the body of grout therein is then moved to the position beneath the pickup assembly. The pickup assembly is then lowered so as to insert the various brick units into the grout pan in the preselected pattern. When so inserted, the grout flows upwardly into the spaces between adjacent brick units, as appears in FIGURE 12.

After the grout has set sufficiently to enable handling of the panel so cast, the assembled panel may be removed from the grout pan through various means, as for example, through use of the elevating assembly 24, if desired.

The level of grout in the pan 23 should be such that it will flow upwardly within the spaces between adjacent brick units so as to adequately bond these units.

It is advantageous to vibrate the brick units when they are first inserted in the pan so as to enhance the flow of grout into the spaces between adjacent bricks. In this connection the vibrating unit 64 may be operated just after the time that the brick units are inserted into the grout. It may also be operated at short intervals after the immersion so as to additionally aid in leveling the joint surfaces.

If desired, longitudinally extending reinforcing members may be positioned in the grout pan for reinforcing of the panel cast. In this connection, the brick units may have transverse recesses 65 on the bottom faces thereof to accommodate both reinforcing members and grout.

The present invention enables a simple selection of fabricated panels of varying texture, color and pattern, all of which enables flexibility of aesthetic appearance. Brick units of varying color may be assembled in the pattern and bricks of different thicknesses, either in individual bricks or in diifering portions of the same bricks, may be employed to give different appearances of texture and shadow effects.

The apparatus herein shown and described is highly flexible in terms of arranging a varying pattern. Spacing support 22 enables quick arrangement of the bricks in the proper spaced relation. At the same time, through variant longitudinal spacing of the spacing members 43,

the spacing support 22 may accommodate brick units of varying heights in the same cast panel. Varying widths of bricks in the same panel are easily accommodate by the adjustment of the suction elements 50 with relation to their supporting members.

Whereas we have shown and described an operative form of the invention, it should be understood that this showing and description thereof should be taken in an illustrative or diagrammatic sense only. There are many modifications in and to the invention which will fall within the scope and spirit thereof and which will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The scope of the invention should be limited only by the scope of the hereinafter appended claim.

We claim:

An apparatus for casting panels from a plurality of brick-like bodies comprising in combination:

(a) a supporting surface,

(b) a spacing support carried by said supporting surface for a plurality of brick-like units including,

(1) a pair of spaced elongated and parallel side members and means holding said side members together,

(2) a plurality of spaced, transversely extending members supported on :said side members,

(3) said side members having supporting means extending inwardly at the lower portions thereof so as to support brick-like units thereon and having resilient fingers on one side thereof adapted to force brick-like units against the surface of adjacent transversely extending members,

(4) said transversely extending members being of generally equal width so as to uniformly space brick-like units therebetween when said units are supported on said side member supporting means and including resilient fingers positioned inwardly thereof adapted to center brick-like units therebetween when positioned on said member supporting means,

(c) an elevating and gripping assembly positioned above said supporting surface including,

(1) a supporting frame,

(2) a plurality of tubes mounted on said supporting frame, each of said tubes having a resilient downward opening cup at a lower end thereof,

(3) means for connecting said tubes to a source of suction,

(4) means for raising and lowering said elevating and gripping assembly,

(d) said spacing support adapted for movement towards and away from a position beneath said elevating and gripping assembly, and

(e) a grout pan carried by said supporting surface for movement towards and away from a position beneath said elevating and gripping assembly.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 418,840 1/90 Hettich 264-261 698,031 4/02 Leslie 264-261 1,194,862 8/16 Moore 25-121 1,199,877 10/16 Cutler 25-121 1,222,535 4/17 Crum 214-1 1,642,992 9/27 Fuller 198-34 1,657,922 1/28 Goddard 264-261 1,943,483 1/34 Miller 214-1 1,959,512 1/34 Wall 25-1 2,094,823 10/ 37 Sample et al. 2,605,004 7/ 52 Grueneberg 21416.4 2,605,912 8/52 Small 214-164 2,675,718 4/54 Finney. 2,793,771 5/57 Ochs 198-34 2,812,061 11/57 Pfister 214-1 2,855,653 10/58 Kastenbeim 264-261 3,058,190 10/62 Wogulis 25-1 FOREIGN PATENTS 536,263 3/55 Belgium.

960,528 3/55 Germany.

318,102 1/ 57 Switzerland.

1. SPENCER OVERHOLSER, Primary Examiner.

ALEXANDER H. BRODMERKEL, ROBERT F.

WHITE, WILLIAM J. STEPHENSON, Examiners. 

